Glastonbury is over for another year, but Lyme Regis is preparing to
go global on Saturday (4JULY) as this year’s Big Mix family youth
music festival welcomes a world of talent to the town from near and
far.
Fresh from their appearance and having a massive impact at
Glastonbury, dance band KOG and the Zongo Brigade will headline the
festival. Fronted by the irrepressible Ghanaian-born songwriter and
performer Kweku Of Ghana their blend of West African rhythms, soul,
funk, reggae and Latin jazz has taken them all over Britain and Europe
and they arrive in Lyme Regis on the back of a UK tour in support of
their seven-track Akwaaba EP.
Returning to the Big Mix stage in Theatre Square are Brighton-based
power pop trio The RPMs. Originally from Bridport, singer Jack Valero
can’t wait to return to the local scene of some of their very first
gigs together.
“We’re really looking forward to playing for B Sharp again,” says
Jack. “We had so much fun when we played for them before and they were
very supportive in those first few days of us starting out as a band.
The Big Mix is really great because it’s pretty much the only music
festival for aspiring musicians in the Dorset area to perform at.”
Also following up a storming show at Glastonbury, Calamity Poets bring
their self-styled ‘spaghetti shonk’ – a fusion of blues, folk, rock
and jazz – to the Big Mix having expanded their original guitar and
trumpet line up to incorporate a full band.
Promoted by young people’s music charity B Sharp, the Big Mix is run
by young people for young people and families with a range of fringe
activities including mobile skate ramps and a chill out and
‘crafter-noon’ area run by young artists that includes a hooping
workshop, face painting, nail art, hair braiding, beach art and much
more.
“There has been a massive groundswell of support for the festival in
Lyme Regis, you can feel the excitement building in and around the
town,” says B Sharp director Fran Williams. “The Big Mix is a really
special event and leading the way locally because it opens doors for
young musicians, technicians, artists and event organisers to work
with industry professionals, many of whom began their careers at B
Sharp.”
The bill also includes Bridport singer songwriter and B Sharp young
music leader Ella Squirrell, Weymouth-based grime artists SouthDub,
Lyme’s own pop jazzers Joanna Clark and Nathan Austin and opera singer
Chloe Stratta, who worked for B Sharp as a singing mentor. Four groups
from Hub Jams, B Sharp’s creative music making sessions, will launch a
four-track CD and Boombox Music, created at Charmouth Primary with B
Sharp music leaders Jacques Verhaeren and Pete Wild, will also be
performing.
The Big Mix runs from 1pm to 11.30pm in Theatre Square, Lyme Regis.
Tickets (£5, U18s £1) are selling fast and are strictly limited. To
avoid disappointment organisers recommend booking now from Lyme Regis
Tourist Information Centre on 01297 442138.
